Antisplash heel



NOV. 2, 1948. Q O, WALPER 2,452,883

ANTISPLASH HEEL Filed Jan. 50, 1946 the heel for an article of footwear for wear on:

the left foot.

Figure 2 is a bottom View of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 l of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of Figure A3.

Figure 5 is a slight modification of the structure of Figure 4. As previously set forth the invention consists of means-for keeping the last drop yof water at the tip or point of the sharply defined corner at thejunction of the inner side and the breast portions of the heel during the incalculably small oninnitesimal period intervening from the instant when the principal or main quantity of water is precipitated or cast and the instant when that last drop is cast, or, in other words, preventing that last drop from running or following back on or up the lower inner rim or margin of the heel.

On'the drawing a Aleft heel for an article of footwearis indicated by the numeral I0 in all the views, and the tread body or lift by Il. In the species of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 4 inclusive of the parentV application the bottom face or tread surface of the tread body is evenly inclined from the inner forward corner clear across diagonally to the outer rear region.

This formation establishes a low inner forward cornei` which is sharply defined and pointedly tipped in order to direct the watercast during the forward movement in a straight ahead path. Thezlow corner usually keeps the last Idrop from running back on or up the lower inner rim of the heel, or along the lower ri-m of the breast, or up in thecorner of the breast itself since it would have to rise or run up hill in cleance of gravity which inysuch an instance is found to defeat molecular attraction as can be readily understood.

In that species of the invention it was found preferable to` extend the tread body on its inner side to form a fiat surfaced ledge for directing the water flowing ldown the inner wall portion of the heel to the sharp corner and thence to the tip-rather than to depend on it flowing to the rim of the tread and thence to the tip by molecular attraction In this instance the extended portion or lip of the tread body and the breast merged lin a sharply defined corner. l

In its present embodiment, this species consists ofv a cavity in the inner forward corner of the heel tread body having an acclivitous ceiling up which the last drop will not run.V

The said cavity is produced by forming a substantially vertical wall l2 partially across the body from the inner side and back from the breast thereof, thereby forming a ceiling I3 extending from the height of the wall downwardly and forwardly, and terminating at the lower mary gin of the breast at an acute angle thereto or tip i4, the breast being uninterrupted.

Very often storm footwear is made with the heel tread roughened or cleated, a typical form being a plurality of bosses or studding, this being 4 for the purpose of providing footwear having non-slip or non-skid properties. As an example a typical form of such a tread is shown in Figures 3 and 4, consisting of a plurality of bosses l5. In this form the tip drops to the plane of the surface of the bosses, as clearly seen in Fig ure 3, and actually the bosses l5, as well as acting as a non-skid heel tread, act to support the tip I4 away from the floor when the footwear is in non-use, to keep the tiplll from deformation. It can readily be understood that such footwear is at rest or unworn more than it is in use.

There has thus been provided a simple and efcient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the` form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such-as properly come within the scope claimed@ I claim: f I

l. In a heel for an article of footwear includ# ing a tread body, the tread .body having a cavity formed in the inner forward corner portion thereof, said cavity being produced by forming a substantiallyfvertical wall. partially across the body from the inner side and back'from the breast thereof and forming afceiling extending from the height of the wall downwardly and vforwardly and terminating at the lower margin ofl the vbreast at an acute angle thereto, the breast being unin-i ward cornerv portion thereof whereby said corner portion is'mainly tread surfaceless, the ceiling of said cavity being tapered downwardly and forwardly and terminated in a pointed tread tip.

3. In a heel for an article of footwear includ-- ing a tread body consisting of a. non-smooth or interstitial tread surface, said body having'a cavityform'edin the inner'forward corner portion whereby said corner portion is mainly tread sur-j faceless, the ceiling of said 'cavity being tapered downwardly substantially from the plane'of the depth ofthe interstices and being terminated in a'pointedtreadtip. l e 4. In a heel for an article of footwear includA ing a tread body, said body having a cavity formed in the inner forward corner portionv thereof,"fthe` ceiling of said cavitybeing tapered downwardly and terminated inge'. pointed tip 'lying substan-f tially on the vertical lplane of the inner forward corner of said body'. .v f

5. In a heel for an arti-'cle of footwear includ#v ing a tread body'having a tread surface, said inner forward portion, said lower than the plane of the tread surface.

' 6. In a heel'for an article of footwear includ- -r ing a tread body having a tread surface', said body having a cavity formed in theinner forward cor,-V ner portion thereof, and the upper wall of the cavity exten'dinggenerally downwardly and ter-I minating as a tip disposed substantially at the said forward portion, the point of said device ly" ing in close proximity.v with the breast and inner side of said body. l

v7. In a heel for an Aarticle of footwear includ? Ucorner v of the ing a main tread surface, said heel having at its forward inner corner a recess, said recess having a substantially Vertical wall extending from the breast to the inner side of the heel, and a water ejecting element depending in the recess and terminating at the junction of the breast and inner side of the heel in a pointed terminus, the outer walls of said water ejecting element lying substantially in the planes of the breast and a. side of the heel and said water ejecting element being isolated from said vertical wall whereby to provide immunity to water lm exchange between said main tread portion and said terminus.

CURRY ORA WALPER.

REFERENCES siren The following references are of record in the :le of this patent:

5 UNTEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,157,184 Neumann May 9, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS lo Number Country Date 308,939 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1929 

